Upper Extremity Active Range of Motion Exercises

Shoulder Flexion

  • Start with your arm at your side.

  • Keeping your elbow straight and your thumb up, raise your arm foward and up.

  • Return your arm down to your lap slowly. 

Shoulder Extension

  • Start with your arm at your side.

  • Keeping your elbow straight, move your arm backwards.

  • Return your arm back to your side slowly. 

Shoulder Abduction

  • Start with your arm at your side. Turn your palm facing foward.

  • Keep your elbow straight and move your arm up, away from the body and over your head.

  • Return your arm to your side.

 

 

Horizontal Abduction

  • Start by bringing your arm to your side at shoulder height.  Keep your elbow bent and your fingers facing down. 

  • Sit tall with your shoulders back.

  • Move your elbow backwards, then forward to the start position. 

Horizontal Adduction

  • Start by bringing your arm to your side at shoulder height.  Keep your elbow bent and your fingers facing down.

  • Move your arm across your body toward the opposite shoulder (like you are hugging yourself).

  • Return your arm to your side at shoulder height (the start position).

Shoulder Rotation

  • Start with your arm out to the side at shoulder level with your elbow bent and your hand pointed toward the ceiling.

  • Keep your upper arm at shoulder level throughout exercise.

  • Lower you hand so that fingers point to the floor.

  • Return to the start position. 

 

 

 

 

Elbow Flexion

  • Start with your arm down and your elbow straight.

  • With your palm up, bend your elbow to touch your shoulder.

  • Return your arm to the start position. 

Elbow Extension

  • Begin by reaching your arm over head with your elbow straight and hand towards the ceiling.

  • Bend your elbows so that your hand passes to the back of your head.

  • Keeping your elbow next to your ear, straighten your elbow and move your hand towards the ceiling again.

  • If your arm becomes heavy or tired, use your other arm to support your elbow. 

Pronation and Supination

  • Place your hands facing down on the table.

  • Flip your hands over to face up, and then flip them back again to face down.

 

 

 

 

Wrist Flexion and Extension

  • Place your hand on it's side with the thumb side up.

  • Bend only at the wrist; bend your hand forward, and then bend your hand backwards.

Finger Flexion/Extension/Abduction

  • Start by making a fist. 

  • Straighten your fingers and spread them apart.

  • Return to a fist.